


Big Bad Puppy

by Soapbubblesoul



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Birthday Presents, Established Relationship, Fluff and Crack, Gift Giving, M/M, Slightly graphic description of werewolf transition, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2020-12-22 18:04:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21080804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soapbubblesoul/pseuds/Soapbubblesoul
Summary: Yifan is unbeatable at giving gifts, but this year Yixing has finally figured out the perfect birthday present himself.





	Big Bad Puppy

Yifan was great at giving gifts. Even before they started dating, he would always have wonderful birthday gifts for Yixing, from tickets to a concert of his favourite band that had sold out months ago ("I know some people.") to plectrums signed by that very band ("Really, don’t worry, it was nothing. I told you I know some people."). But since they became a couple, his gifts reached a whole new, very personal level.

For Yixing’s last birthday, Yifan had cooked him dinner. Which, in and of itself, sounded incredibly simple. That is, if one didn’t take into account that Yifan was absurdly bad at cooking. The meal, however, had been perfect. It had been all the Hunanese dishes Yixing loved from home, most of them so spicy that Yifan himself could barely stand more than two bites at a time. When Yixing praised how they tasted exactly like what he was used to, Yifan sheepishly admitted to having contacted Yixing’s grandmother over a month prior to ask her for her recipes. Once he received them, he started practicing. He cooked them over and over and over again, feeding the finished dishes to Lu Han,Tao, Minseok, Jongdae and pretty much every other friend of his who didn’t flee fast enough to get feedback on whether they tasted good.

So really, as far as birthday presents were concerned, Yifan was setting the bar very high. And Yixing wanted, just once, to reciprocate with something equally thoughtful and personal. But no matter how much he racked his brain, he kept coming up empty-handed. And time was not on his side.

November was approaching quickly, a huge Halloween party at the end of the week marking the end of October. But Thursday rolled around, and Yixing was still stranded without a plan. Less than a week remained for him to come up with the perfect present, and Yixing was slowly but surely growing desperate. A limited edition of the sneakers Yifan loved would be released a few weeks after his birthday, but that felt too unimaginative. It didn’t require much thought to come up with that present, and while Yixing was sure Yifan would love it, he didn’t want to settle on something so obvious.

Despite having classes on Friday morning, he and Yifan had decided to go to the Halloween party Jongdae was throwing. Just for one night, Yixing wanted to take his mind off of the constant gift search. Perhaps the perfect idea would come to him just when he was no longer thinking about it. It had been meant to be a fun night, but less than half an hour before they were supposed to meet up, Yixing got a phone call from Yifan. He was not feeling very well, and when Yixing immediately offered to come over to nurse him, Yifan refused vehemently. He didn’t want Yixing to catch whatever he had contracted.

"Just go and have fun for both of us. There’s no reason you should be stuck at home with me. I’ll probably just sleep, anyway."

Yixing was reluctant to agree, but Yifan kept insisting until Yixing promised to not worry about him and just enjoy the night. And he tried, he really did. He finished getting ready—having opted for a possibly very cliché rendition of a vampire with smoky eyes and tight, dark clothes. Right before heading out, he sent Yifan a picture, teasing him with what he was missing out on. 

In response, Yifan sent him an entire army of crying emojis. It put Yixing in a slightly better mood, but even though the party was fun, with good music, an improvised dance floor and a wide variety of drinks and snacks available, Yixing wasn’t fully there. His thoughts kept straying to Yifan, and how there was something missing with Yifan not by his side. Still, Yixing stuck around the friends he knew, doing shots with Chanyeol and joining a round of beer-pong with the other Korean exchange students Jongdae was close with. The alcohol and company only provided so much distraction however, and eventually, Yixing caved. He excused himself close to midnight, citing the morning classes he would have to attend the next day, but Jongdae shouted "Tell Yifan I said hi and I hope he gets better soon. We can’t have him miss his own birthday party!" after him when he slipped out of the door, so he evidently wasn’t fooling anyone.

He knew that he would most likely find Yifan asleep, and there wasn’t really any need for him to check up on Yifan. But Yixing missed his boyfriend, not having seen him since the beginning of the week because they had both been busy with coursework. They both had keys to each other’s places, not just for emergencies but so they could come and go whenever they wanted, which meant Yixing would be able to slip in without waking up Yifan. He just wanted to sleep on Yifan’s couch, and then he could perhaps make them both breakfast the next morning.

Yifan’s apartment was located towards the edge of the city, bordering on a vast forested park he and Yifan would often go on walks in they wanted to avoid the crowds of the parks in the city centre. During daytime, it was a really peaceful place, but Yixing always found it slightly unsettling to visit Yifan after nightfall because the way from the bus stop to Yifan’s home led right through the trees. There were light post illuminating the small path, but the shadow that lay beyond them was thick and impenetrable, and every little cracking noise in the undergrowth had made Yixing flinch. Usually he would get Yifan to pick him up from the bus, which was obviously out of the question that night. With the alcohol still running through his veins as liquid courage, Yixing decided to simply brave the 5 minute walk, and then he could curl up in the familiar safety of Yifan’s living room.

Except that he never made it into Yifan’s apartment. He was on the last few metres, only a few more steps separating him from Yifan’s front door when something moving at the corner of his eye caught Yixing’s attention. Without knowing exactly what was going on, he ducked behind one of the trees in an instinctual reflex he couldn’t even begin to explain. The figure moving at the edge of his vision had been human-shaped, so perhaps Yixing just had to wait for them to pass without being seen. A quiet voice in the back of his head whispered that he was being ridiculous, and the other person most likely was just someone wanting to get home.

Gathering all his courage, Yixing looked out from behind the trunk he was hiding behind to where he had seen the movement. A breath of relief escaped him when he properly saw the silhouette in the distance—even in the darkness, he would recognise Yifan anywhere. The next moment, his eyebrows bunched together in equal parts confusion and disapproval. What was Yifan doing out here, in the middle of the night, when he was sick and should be resting?

Just as Yixing was about to leave his cover, he noticed that something was…off. Yifan was swaying, a jerkiness to his movements that usually wasn’t there. Worry overpowered all of Yixing’s other emotions, and he immediately made a move to rush to Yifan’s side, but he only managed a few steps in Yifan’s direction. Before Yixing had even stepped out from behind the tree, Yifan had sunk down onto his knees, his shoulders bulging in a way that didn’t look at all natural—or healthy.

Even though Yixing wanted nothing more than to help Yifan, he found himself frozen to the spot as he disbelievingly observed the human shape of his boyfriend shudder and shift. Another figure moved out from the woods, and Yixing only barely managed to stifle a yelp as he immediately ducked back into the shadows in order not to be seen. His heart was beating so loudly he was sure it must have been audible from the distance, but he willed his breathing to be as silent as possible as he peeked out just enough to observe what was going on.

What he saw made his breath come to a halt altogether. Approaching Yifan‘s convulsing form was a gigantic wolf, at least twice the size of any animal Yixing had ever seen in the zoo. His pulse sped up with panic, and an overwhelming sense of dread filled him. Yifan clearly was in no state to defend himself, least of all being able to escape. Still, no matter how much Yixing told himself to run over , or to abandon his cover and shout to draw its attention away from Yifan, his body refused to listen. He could only watch helplessly as the beast reached Yifan‘s side—and proceeded to nudge him.

Yixing feared that it was testing the waters with its prey, as if unsure what it had encountered, but instead of attacking, it repeated the same motion with more urgency but seemingly without intending to harm. Yifan had barely even reacted to the wolf‘s appearance, though Yixing couldn‘t be sure of what that meant. Perhaps whatever was happening to him had made him unable to even notice the beast by his side. His attention had been so drawn to the wolf that when Yixing finally focussed on Yifan again, an involuntary gasp escaped him. As if alerted by the noise, the wolf‘s head whipped up, facing right in his direction. Yixing ducked back behind the tree immediately, praying he hadn‘t been discovered as the image he had seen kept replaying before his inner eye.

Yifan still looked human, but also not quite. His flesh had been bulging while his limbs were twisted in angles they clearly shouldn‘t be, and Yixing swore that even in the darkness, over the distance, he had seen patches of dark, rough fur where Yifan‘s smooth, golden skin should have been. With his heart racing, Yixing listened for any noises indicating that the wolf was advancing towards him—well-aware that wolves were silent hunters and Yixing‘s human hearing might not be enough to detect it, if it really were to be stalking towards him. He counted to twenty, mentally, and then to thirty, forty, fifty. When he reached sixty, and there still were no sharp teeth embedded in his skin, he steeled himself and chanced another glance.

The wolf was now lying down right next to Yifan, pressing itself into the ground, while Yifan—was climbing onto its back. He was clearly struggling, the transformation his body was undergoing robbing him of his mobility. His movements were jerky, so the wolf kept shifting and nudging him with its head until he was secure on its back. When it rose, Yifan slipped slightly, and instead of using his hands to hold himself up, Yixing observed as Yifan  _ bit _ into the fur at the wolf‘s nape. His face had lengthened into a snout, the humanness of his features slipping away fast with every passing moment Yixing watched but he still looked human enough for Yixing to see  _ Yifan  _ in him.

Which was why, when the wolf suddenly broke into a run towards the forest and disappeared into the thick undergrowth with two large leaps, Yixing instinctively took a step in their direction to chase after them. He immediately stopped in his tracks when he looked at the impenetrable darkness. There was no way he could follow them. The wolf was much faster than Yixing could ever hope to be, and even if he found them, what would he do? A human, fighting a mutated wolf, unarmed? He wasn‘t even sure if Yifan needed to be rescued in the first place. After all, he hadn‘t fought against the wolf—quite the opposite, in fact.

With both Yifan and the wolf gone, and the meadow lying in front of Yixing empty and quiet, one could almost believe that it had all been nothing but an illusion. For a few moments, all Yixing could do was stare as the adrenaline continued to rush through his veins, then he spun on his heel and ran, all the way back to the bus stop and then some. He didn‘t come to a halt until his lungs were burning, at least halfway towards his own home already. Gasping for air, he braced his hand on his knees as he bent over forwards. He noticed he was shaking, but he tried to convince himself it was from exhaustion.

" _ Fuck _ ," he cursed silently to himself, "What the  _ fuck _ !"

His thoughts were in disarray, but there was one thing he knew for sure: He had seen what he had seen. It had not been an illusion, it had not been a hallucination. He hadn‘t had that much too drink, heck, he was barely even tipsy, and he certainly hadn‘t taken any drugs, either. Yixing was absolutely certain that both the wolf and Yifan‘s transformation had been real, no matter how much it seemed like a horrible Halloween prank. And if he had seen what he had seen, there really was only one explanation...

He walked the last stretch back to his home, hoping for the cold night air to clear his mind. The success was debatable, but at least he had managed to calm his heart from hammering in his chest to pulsing gently. By the time he was back within the safety of his own apartment, the adrenaline had fully faded, leaving him exhausted and shaking. Yet, he had trouble finding sleep that night.

After all, how does one sleep soundly after discovering their boyfriend of three years is, in fact, a werewolf?

🌕

The first thing Yixing did the next morning when he awoke from his rather restless slumber was to grab his phone to search the internet for a moon-phase calendar. He couldn‘t tell if he was hoping to find something that contradicted his suspicion or if he wanted confirmation. Uncaring of what it was, he wasn‘t surprised when his phone told him, in black and white, that last night had been full moon.

Yixing wasn’t quite sure what to do with the knowledge. Yifan, a werewolf? Werewolves were real, and not just scary stories? If they were real, what else was real? Vampires, selkies, elves, nymphs, dragons? All of them? Was there an entire world filled with mythical creatures hidden in the reality Yixing had believed in?

He avoided Yifan that day, claiming to feel unwell. This was something he had to wrap his head around first, before he could face his boyfriend again. There was no way he would be able to act naturally around Yifan, but the idea of confronting Yifan about it also didn‘t sit right. First he had to work this whole "my boyfriend is a werewolf" thing out with himself, in addition to the sudden discovery that werewolves were actually real.

When Yifan immediately offered to come over to bring Yixing food, Yixing refused, telling him not to worry. He cited the same reasoning Yifan had used to not go to the Halloween party. In retrospect, it was obvious to Yixing that it had been an excuse because Yifan knew he would transform that night. Even through Yifan‘s texts Yixing could tell that Yifan sensed something was off—Yixing would usually not admit to being sick, choosing to power through it and pretend there was nothing wrong in the first place. But still, Yifan didn‘t call Yixing out or push the subject. Rather, he wished Yixing a speedy recovery and told him that if there was anything he needed, he should not hesitate to contact Yifan, even if it was just for a bowl of noodles at 3am.

When he read the message, Yixing forgot all about his discovery the previous night for a moment. He laughed, as his chest filled with equal parts warmth and longing. It was phrased like a joke but Yixing was well aware that, should he actually ask for it, Yifan would move heaven and earth to make sure Yixing got that bowl of noodles—or the closest equivalent that could be found at that time of day. His fingers twitched with the impulse to ask Yifan to come over, but then images of Yifan‘s body, all twisted and bulging, flashed before his inner eye and with a jerk he threw his phone to his bed. No. He wasn‘t ready yet.

🌕

For two more days, Yixing battled with himself. No matter how shaken he was, Yixing still was certain that the Yifan he knew, the one that was caring and considerate and warm and kind, was not a lie. The Yifan he loved was not just the front for a monster that broke free as soon as the full moon rose to its spot in the night sky. And yet, there was a part deep inside him that Yixing still couldn‘t appease, that was almost... afraid. 

It was like an instinctual fear that knew no logic or reason. Even as Yixing told himself that Yifan was still Yifan, werewolf or human, he found himself unable to fully believe it even as he knew it to be the truth.

Not once did he consider breaking up with Yifan, but he also didn‘t know how to face him. Yet, it got harder and harder to avoid him. Worse still, it was the weekend. Without classes to keep him occupied Yixing was left to stew in his thoughts, and Yifan was just one tiny text away. On Saturday afternoon, he cracked. Instead of Yifan‘s number, however, he dialled a different one.

"Lu Han?"

A distracted hum came from the other end of the line, as if Lu Han had barely enough mental capacity left to acknowledge Yixing‘s presence.

"What‘s up?"

"Can you come over? There‘s something I need to talk about."

"Dude, I already told you, I can‘t help you with Yifan‘s birthday present. We have this silent agreement that he gets socks from me every year because one can‘t go wrong with socks."

The reminder of Yifan‘s birthday hit Yixing like a punch to the stomach. " _ Shit _ ," he cursed under his breath, but the receiver still picked up on it.

That got Lu Han‘s attention, as his voice came louder when he spoke next, "Hey man, you don‘t need to stress out over it so much. Yifan loves you. You could literally take the easiest way out, tie a bow around your neck and declare yourself his present and he‘d be gushing for the next month over how he has the best boyfriend in the world."

Lu Han clearly was trying to soothe him, but Yixing forced himself to push the matter of Yifan‘s birthday present aside for now. There were more pressing issues he needed his best friend‘s input on.

"No, that‘s not it. Really, I need to talk with you, but I can‘t do this over the phone."

Something about the urgency in his tone seemed to convince Lu Han because Yixing could hear shuffling in the background as Lu Han moved around to get ready for heading out.

"Okay, I‘ll be over in half an hour."

Lu Han lived almost clear across town, so there really was no way for him to get to Yixing particularly quickly. At least it gave Yixing time to consider what he was going to say—not that he felt any more prepared when Lu Han eventually rang his doorbell.

They settled on the couch in Yixing‘s living room wordlessly, but Lu Han looked at him expectantly, as if urging him to spill what was so important that Lu Han had to hurry over.

"Before I tell you anything, you have to promise that this will stay between us. No one else can know," Yixing opened, looking straight at Lu Han in hopes of getting the gravity of the situation across.

Lu Han met his gaze, and nodded once. "Of course," he said, voice heavy before continuing, "So, where is the body we need to bury? I‘m sure I have a shovel in my basement, and I can get us a car from a friend who still owes me a favour."

Yixing whined, slapping his friend softly on the arm in reproach.

"Lu Han, I‘m being serious."

Realising that he himself wasn‘t really getting the seriousness vibe across with his reflexive response to Lu Han‘s teasing, Yixing forced himself to school his features into an expression that he hoped conveyed the severity of the situation.

"Like, really. I need you to promise. I have to talk about this with someone but it also has to stay a secret."

Yixing could tell that Lu Han was on the verge of cracking another joke but reined himself in just in time to look Yixing straight in the eyes and, with every ounce of sincerity he could muster, replied, "I promise. Whatever it is, Xing, your secret is safe with me."

Taking a deep breath, Yixing fidgeted a little. Unable to hold Lu Han‘s gaze, his focus instead drifted to his own fingers, fiddling in his lap. "That‘s... kind of the thing. It‘s not really my secret. Which is why I really shouldn‘t be telling this to anyone. But I also don‘t know what to do, so I really need to talk with someone about this."

"Yixing."

Reluctantly, Yixing lifted his head at having his name called.

"What is going on?" Lu Han asked, having dropped any and all lighthearted joking in favour of thinly concealed worry.

It wasn‘t like Yixing to beat around the bush, or to be so unsure about things in the first place. Whenever there was something troubling he would usually deal with it on his own, in whatever way was necessary—or he would go to Yifan. Thinking back on all the years of their friendship, Yixing couldn‘t recall a single instance where Lu Han had seen him fidget as badly as he was right then.

_ Like a bandaid. Just rip it off. It‘s not going to get easier. _

_ " _ I think—" Yixing started, then cut himself off and shook his head before correcting himself, "No, it‘s not ‘I think’, I know what I saw. I saw him transform into... a wolf. I’m sure Yifan is a werewolf."

There were various reactions Yixing expected from Lu Han. Laughter, for one, as if Yixing told him a joke before demanding to know what was really going on. Disbelief was another possibility, telling Yixing outright that whatever he had seen, surely he must have misinterpreted it, or he had just imagined it altogether. Denial was also a plausible response, asking Yixing to repeat himself because surely Lu Han must have misheard. Or, in case that Lu Han, for whatever wild, mad reason, actually believed Yixing‘s words immediately, shock.

The reaction he actually got was none of those. Instead, Lu Han‘s eyes widened and it temporarily seemed as though he had settled on  _ shock _ but he looked rather... panicked? Worried?

"Shit, you saw him?" he exclaimed, and immediately after slapped his hands over his mouth as if to simultaneously shut the words back in and to stop any more from escaping.

But the damage was done.

It was Yixing who was left speechless now. Had Lu Han said "Shit, you saw him do  _ what _ ?" Yixing would have believed him if he had played it off as disbelieving shock. But Lu Han‘s words, the entire tone with which he had said it, was too... knowing. He was not surprised by the revelation of Yifan being a werewolf, he was surprised that  _ Yixing knew. _

Betrayal flashed through Yixing momentarily as he scooted back a bit, just enough that he could turn his body fully towards Lu Han.

"You knew?" His voice slipped half an octave higher in his disbelief.

"I- you know—it-" Lu Han stumbled, eyes still wide as he was realising Yixing had immediately noticed his slip-up. "I can explain...?"

Lu Han himself didn‘t sound very sure that he actually could, but Yixing still would not let him get away just that easily. He needed answers, and he needed them now. He had spent two entire days agonising over the whole situation, and he was more than fed up with it already.

"Please."

Lu Han was visibly conflicted, as if deciding how much he could or should reveal, but when Yixing refused to back down, he sighed in resignation. 

"Okay. So, now I need  _ you _ to promise  _ me _ not to freak out."

After the scene Yixing had witnessed on Halloween, he was pretty sure nothing could faze him anymore.

"The truth is... I am a werewolf as well."

Weirdly enough, Yixing waited for a punchline, for Lu Han to shout "got you there!" as he laughed his ass off. Even though Yixing himself had been the one who thought Lu Han would not believe him, he now found himself in a situation where he momentarily doubted Lu Han‘s words. It was absurd. And yet, Lu Han remained dead serious, so Yixing, with jerky movements, nodded once, both to acknowledge Lu Han‘s words and to tell him to continue.

"So, Yifan and me, we‘re kinda... in the same pack? I have always known about him, and he has always known about me. But I promise, it isn‘t a bad thing! We aren’t monsters who kill and eat humans or any shit like that, even when transforming we still are in control over our actions.

"And I never told you because Yifan made me swear not to," Lu Han rushed to add, as if pleading for Yixing‘s forgiveness. "He wanted to tell you, but he never gathered the courage to. He was just so afraid that you would leave him immediately if you found out."

"You‘re a werewolf, too," Yixing whispered, struggling to process this new information and deciding to ignore the part about Yifan. For now.

Lu Han, contritely, nodded.

"You‘re a werewolf, too," YIxing repeated, voice firmer but scarily shrill. "Is everyone I know a werewolf? Jongdae? Minseok? Who isn‘t one? _ " _

His tone momentarily made Lu Han flinch but he quickly recovered to shake his head, "No, they‘re all human. Really, it‘s only me and Yifan." Lu Han insisted, but then seemed to reconsider, "Oh, and Tao, but I don‘t think you‘ve ever properly met him."

The name vaguely rang a bell—a tall, intimidating-looking friend of Yifan‘s who had moved away years ago already, but Yixing didn‘t linger on the thought for too long.

"Well,  _ fuck  _ me _ ,"  _ Yixing hissed, but there was no harshness behind it, just disbelief.

"I‘d prefer leaving that to Yifan," Lu Han tentatively cracked a joke, a small, unsure smile on his lips as if he was testing the waters to see whether it would lighten the suddenly very heavy mood between them.

Rolling his eyes, Yixing bat at Lu Han‘s arm once more. Lu Han‘s smile widened when the corners of Yixing‘s mouth twitched upwards as well.

"So, are we cool?" Lu Han asked, hopeful.

"This is a lot to take in," Yixing confessed in earnest. "I spent the last two days trying to come to terms with the fact that my boyfriend is a werewolf, and now I learn that it‘s not only my boyfriend, but my best friend too."

"I understand if you need time," Lu Han said, a little more subdued.

When he moved as if to get up to let Yixing have some space to process, Yixing immediately caught his arm to stop him. "Don’t. I can deal better with you here."

Nodding, Lu Han settled back on the couch.

"Really, I can imagine that this is overwhelming, but I promise you, even if we hid from you that we are werewolves, we are still the same people. Everything you know about us, everything about our friendship and your relationship with Yifan is true, and real," Lu Han paused, as if unsure whether to continue, but when he did, he stared right at with an imploring expression. "It might not my place to say this, but Yifan never meant to deceive you, and I know he hated lying to you. You know, he really loves you."

Lu Han was so sincere, so absolutely convinced of his words, that in spite of himself, Yixing found himself blushing.

"I know," he mumbled, suddenly feeling rather shy. "I really love him, too." Then, firmer, he added, "Which is why that idiot really should have told me sooner."

"That‘s what I’ve been telling him for years!" Lu Han loudly agreed, "But he would always panic at the last moment and come to me whining that he just couldn‘t risk losing you! Oh, I am so going to go  _ ‘I told you so!‘ _ on him."

"No!" Yixing exclaimed, surprising both Lu Han and himself. "Don‘t tell him."

"Don‘t tell him what?" Lu Han asked in confusion.

"Don‘t tell him that I know about him. Promise me. I want to be the one to tell him."

Lu Han cast him a rather suspicious glance, but agreed to keep silent about it.

"You two are truly perfect for each other, you can both be weird as fuck."

🌕

Lu Han stayed until dinner, which then, somehow, extended into a movie night. It gave Yixing plenty of time to ask whatever question he had on his mind. From how often they transformed ("We only transform on full moon") to whether they had control over the transformation ("Both yes and no. We can‘t transform unless it‘s a full moon, and on a full moon we  _ have  _ to transform at one point. We can trigger the transformation on our own though, if we don’t wait too long with it.") to whether the transformation process was painful—because it certainly looked as if it was ("It‘s not exactly pleasant, but you get used to it.").

That very evening, after Lu Han had left, Yixing managed to cave. He called Yifan, just to hear his voice, and told him that he was feeling a lot better, so he would love to see Yifan the next day. He didn’t even get to add "if you have time" because Yifan had already agreed so eagerly, promising to come over first thing in the morning.

The moment he opened the door and Yifan stood there the next day, Yixing’s chest stung painfully, both because he had missed him so badly and because of Yifan’s expression. Yifan was looking at him like a kicked puppy that still wagged his tail, confused and apprehensive, but also desperately hopeful to be loved again.

"If I did something wrong, I’m really sorry," was the first thing Yifan said, before even daring to step into Yixing’s hallway.

Yifan might have been an idiot, but he also was incredibly perceptive. Yixing had tried to be as nonchalant as possible, hoping Yifan wouldn’t realise Yixing was avoiding him, but evidently he had failed, because Yifan was looking at him as if he expected to be broken up with any second.

Yet, Lu Han must have kept his word, because Yifan wasn’t offering to explain himself, to assure Yixing that he wasn’t dangerous, even if he was a werewolf. Instead he was confused, and even though he apologised, he didn’t seem to have any idea what exactly he had done that caused Yixing to withdraw from him. Seeing the pained look on Yifan’s face, as if he was ready to do whatever it took to avoid Yixing breaking up with him, made Yixing’s heart clench tightly.

"You did nothing wrong," Yixing rushed to explain, taking a step forward to cup Yifan’s face in an attempt to comfort him. "I just didn’t want you to fall sick again after you had just recovered from Halloween, that’s why I didn’t want you to come over," Yixing lied so smoothly, as if he had practiced what he was going to say a dozen times over, rather than improvising on the spot. "That would have sucked, so close to your birthday."

Yifan did not seem very convinced, still, but as Yixing kept assuring him over and over again that everything between them was okay, and that Yixing  _ really _ wasn’t upset with him, he eventually relaxed. A hint of wariness remained, however, but Yixing chose to overlook it the same way he chose to forget for the day about everything he had found out about Yifan’s true identity. 

Just for one day, he wanted to pretend that everything was still the same. It was a lot easier than Yixing had expected it to be, because, as Lu Han had said, Yifan was, in fact, still the same. He had not been turned into a werewolf that Halloween night, he had been a werewolf for as long as they’d been dating, and a good part of them having known each other, too. So, there wasn’t really a lot of pretending Yixing had to do, and he couldn’t help feeling a bit stupid for avoiding Yifan. Being with Yifan made him realise that really, there was nothing for him to stress out over. He was cool with Yifan being a werewolf. If anything, he was just curious.

Yet, he held his tongue and didn’t let it slip that he knew, because over the course of the morning, a plan had started to form in his mind. It wasn’t fully developed yet, but the very idea of it already filled Yixing with the giddy excitement of having come up with something incredibly clever.

🌕

After that, the days just flew by. Yixing felt as if the two days between Halloween and Lu Han’s visit had lasted an eternity, but the three days between seeing Yifan again and Yifan’s birthday passed within the blink of an eye. It could have been an absolute nightmare for Yixing, since usually the days right before the sixth were the worst because he’d be stressing out over Yifan’s birthday present until the very last moment. This year, however, was different.

On Wednesday, they both had classes in the morning, and Yifan had a 2-hour seminar in the afternoon while Yixing had a club meeting. Still, even if it was a normal weekday for them, Yixing made sure to make it as birthday-like as possible. The night from Tuesday, he stayed over, so that he could celebrate with Yifan in person, right at midnight. In the morning, he got up early to make breakfast rather than go on his usual run.

The moment he returned to the bedroom to tell Yifan that breakfast was ready, Yixing was dragged right into Yifan’s arms. He went willingly, with a small laugh, and let himself be kissed for a little while before he insisted that they eat, lest the food get cold. Yifan pouted, but he still let himself be pulled out of bed and to the small table where Yixing had set out dishes of food and glasses of freshly pressed juice.

"You spoil me," Yifan murmured as he hugged him from behind, pressing a kiss to the back of Yixing’s ear.

He let go fast enough before Yixing could start swatting at him, both for him being so close to his sensitive neck and for his cheesiness. The gummy smile Yifan flashed him as he sat down left Yixing slightly flustered, his heart doing somersaults. He didn’t think he would ever be able to fully cope with how adorable his boyfriend was.

They met up for lunch, too, but there was no fancy restaurant involved. In fact, there was no restaurant involved at all, as they went to their campus cafeteria the way they would any other day, too. It wasn’t glamorous, or special, but it also wasn’t meant to be. The main event of the day would be in the evening, after all.

Just like Yifan had done for him, Yixing cooked dinner, making sure to include all of Yifan’s favourite dishes and to go easy on the spices he’d usually use for his Hunan cuisine. When Yifan returned home that evening, the table was set with various steaming dishes and Yixing was awaiting him with the widest smile. He tried his best to contain his giddy anticipation because he only planned on giving Yifan his present after they had finished eating. The success of his plan was debatable. He was on the edge of his seat, nervousness and excitement mixing in his gut and leaving him somewhat shaky. Still, he wouldn‘t have wanted to rush Yifan, so he forced himself to not simply gobble everything up as quickly as he could. Somewhere during the conversation, he even managed to forget all about what was still waiting for him. But as soon as Yifan declared that he was full, followed by a compliment about how great the food had been, Yixing perked up.

"And now, it’s finally time for your present!"

"The dinner wasn’t my present?" Yifan asked, seeming genuinely surprised, as if he hadn’t expected anything else aside from the food.

"Of course not! That would just be copying your birthday present for me, do you really think I’m that unimaginative?" Yixing laced his voice with an extra portion of mock affront, before standing up to pull a box from his backpack.

It was small, looking even smaller in Yifan’s hands, and wrapped in simple, dog-patterned paper. He had tried to find wolves, but apparently they weren’t a popular enough choice as wrapping paper for them to be sold in their local stores. And dogs were the next best thing, though Yifan didn’t seem to pay the motives much mind, as he didn’t even bat an eyelash at the paper. Instead, he inspected the size of the box, shaking it gently only for it to give off a very low bouncing sound, which clearly just added to his confusion.

"Come on, open it already!" Yixing urged him with a laugh.

He was struggling to sit still in his seat, and the longer Yifan took to open up his present, the more he began to fidget in a futile attempt to dispel some of his nervous energy. It was a habit of Yifan‘s, to peel away the sellotape with such caution that he barely damaged the wrapping paper. 

On any other occasion, Yixing found it endearing but in that very moment it was not helpful at all. Yixing was seconds away from telling Yifan to just tear it, when Yifan exclaimed in triumph. He revealed a small, non-descriptive brown cardboard box that gave absolutely nothing about its contents away. With an eyebrow raised he looked at Yixing in question, who barely managed to stifle his laughter as he signalled for Yifan to open it.

Yifan did as told, but the confusion in his expression didn‘t dissipate when he lifted the lid. If anything, he looked even more confused as he reached into the box and took out a yellow tennis ball.

"Do you want me to take up tennis?"

"No, that is a toy. A chew toy. For dogs."

"Yixing, I don’t have a dog," Yifan replied, still as confused as in the beginning, then his eyes grew wide and the expression on his face looked almost worried. "Wait, you didn’t-"

Yixing stopped him with a shake of his head before Yifan could even get the chance to finish his sentence. "Don’t worry, I didn’t get you a dog. I know both of us are too busy right now to take care of one. That toy is for you."

Yifan fell silent at that, looking from the tennis ball chew toy to Yixing and back again, clearly still trying to figure out what exactly was going on.

"If this is supposed to be something sexual then I’m afraid you’ll have to explain to me more clearly what exactly you have in mind," Yifan admitted, still as lost as when he first opened the box.

It was getting harder and harder for Yixing not to burst into laughter at how clueless Yifan was being, so he allowed himself a tiny grin. Perhaps he could sell it as a smile.

"It’s not a ball-gag if that’s what you were thinking of," Yixing says, an insinuating smirk spreading on his lips, "If you’re into that, I can get you one of those too, later. But no, that chew toy is not intended to be used for anything sexual."

"I don’t get it."

Deciding that perhaps he has had his fun, Yixing grew serious.

"This is for you. Because I know."

"Know what?" Yifan was as confused as ever, if not even more so than before.

"About what you are. I  _ know. _ "

Yixing almost expected to have to spell it out for Yifan precisely, but he saw something click in Yifan’s gaze. Suddenly, his eyes were widening, his gaze darting frantically between the toy and Yixing, back and forth, as something like panic crept into his expression. He leant back—less because he was afraid of Yixing, but because he suddenly seemed to want to give Yixing his space. As if Yixing ought to keep his distance from him.

"You...  _ know?" _ he stumbled out weekly, and, once more, Yixing felt his own heart squeeze painfully at the hunted look in Yifan’s eyes.

"Hey, it’s okay!" he hurried to appease him, grabbing Yifan’s hands to have a physical connection. "I’m okay with it."

"How did you find out?"

Yifan was tense in his hold, clearly not believing Yixing’s reassurance, but he also didn’t pull away, so Yixing took that as a positive sign. He started rubbing his thumbs over Yifan’s skin in calming circles, hoping that the action would convey his sincerity.

"Halloween. I saw you."

"You…  _ saw?" _ Yifan’s voice was weak, barely more than a whisper.

Upon seeing Yifan’s reaction, Yixing stilled the motion of his fingers, choosing to tighten his grip instead. He shuffled his chair so he could be even closer to Yifan, catching and holding his gaze because he needed Yifan to be focussed on him, rather than the worst-case scenarios Yixing could see playing behind his eyes.

"On Halloween, when you said you were sick and couldn't come, I was worried. I wanted to surprise you, and check up on you, so I left the party early. But, when I was just walking to your place, I just... saw. You. Transforming."

There were other words Yixing wanted to say, better words. Everything just didn't seem to fit what he was trying to express, how he had been shocked at first, in disbelief, but it didn't really matter to him in the end because he believed in Yifan, and in him being the person Yixing had fallen in love with.

Perhaps, he realised, that was exactly what he was supposed to say, and so he did.

Yifan was hesitant, but a guarded hopefulness crept into his tone as he slowly said, "So, you really don't mind...?"

Shaking his head, Yixing dared to allow a smile onto his lips. "I don't. I wish you had told me, but I also understand why you were afraid. I'm just glad it's out now. You can trust me with your secrets. I love you, and you being a werewolf doesn't change that. So, no more secrets, okay?"

Yifan remained motionless at first, but then he nodded. A deep exhale escaped him, and Yixing watched him sink down on his seat as if his entire body had been inflated with fear which was now drained away to make way for relief instead. He struggled for words, opening his mouth and closing it again without anything coming out. In the end, he looked Yixing straight in the eyes and just said, "I love you."

Yixing wasn't sure whether it was the words, the intensity of Yifan's stare or the weight of Yifan's hands that had come to rest on his thighs, but Yixing felt his heart stutter in his chest. The only way for him to alleviate the feelings bursting in his chest was to let them out, and so he leant forward and kissed Yifan, hoping he managed to every single shred of his adoration into it. Yifan's fingers splayed warmly against Yixing's cheek, a wordless response that he had understood Yixing.

For the first time since Halloween, Yixing felt completely at peace. All secrets were out in the open now, he knew about Yifan, and Yifan knew that he knew.

"So, is there anything else about you I should know about you? Aside from the werewolf-business," Yixing teased, not actually expecting to get a proper response, but after looking at him for a second, Yifan's brow furrowed in concentration.

Then he took a deep breath as if readying himself for something very difficult. Not truly having believed that Yifan was keeping something else from him, Yixing felt his heart sink. But, he was the one who had asked for complete honesty, so he steeled himself and tightened his hold on Yifan’s hands. With a nod, he urged him to talk.

"The truth is… I actually really love pineapple on pizza. When you said you couldn’t stand it I panicked because it was our first date and I didn’t want to disagree with you, so I said I hated it too. But whenever I order pizza without you, I’ll get Hawaiian…?"

All Yixing wanted to do was burst into loud, uncontrollable, relieved laughter, but Yifan was working so hard to look at him all seriously, so Yixing just had to play along. With an overly dramatic gasp, he ripped his hands away from Yifan’s

"God, you’re an idiot," Yifan laughed and pulled him close by the waist to kiss him again.

"You can’t really complain, when it’s you who’s entertaining me. And, you’re an idiot too, so I guess it works out," Yixing muttered smiling against Yifan’s lips, but didn’t give him a chance to reply.

Yifan indulged his boyfriend, but he was the one to draw back first. Amusement was dancing in his eyes as he looked down at Yixing, even though he did his best to sound exasperated. "A tennis ball chew toy? Really?"

"I spent forever trying to come up with the perfect present but I think I really nailed it this year." Yixing attempted to make an effort to contain his gleeful amusement, but he knew he wasn’t doing a very good job.

Yifan, evidently, could tell. Barely able to contain his own smile, he just shook his head. "Oh, what am I supposed to do with you?"

As if that had been his cue, Yixing’s grin morphed into a smirk as he let his hands wander beneath Yifan’s shirt. Drawing Yifan closer, Yixing lifted onto his tiptoes so he could whisper into Yifan’s ear.

"Well, I do happen to have some ideas. You know, I also got you a collar and a leash..."


End file.
